The Fairy Tale Catalog: Everything You Need to Make a Fairy Tale - Hardcover

Sally Gardner was formerly a theater designer and won several awards for productions at London s Royal Court and the National Theatre. She lives in England.

Gr. 4-6, somewhat younger for reading aloud. This large-format volume showcases Spirin's illustrations for six of Andersen's most famous fairy tales: "The Ugly Duckling," "Thumbelina," "The Steadfast Tin Soldier," "The Nightingale," "The Princess and the Pea," and "The Little Mermaid." The foreword includes comments on Andersen's life and significance and states that this collection of stories is "drawn from some of the earliest translations of his work." The typeface is rather small, but the book's overall design is handsome. Spirin's artwork, watercolor with colored pencil, creates an atmosphere of grandeur, mystery, and sophisticated beauty. Varying from powerful, double-page spreads to small, decorative cameos, the pictures look formally composed and perhaps from another age. Although some are reminiscent of Flemish paintings and others of Chinese screen paintings, each illustration suits the setting and mood of its particular tale, all the while maintaining a unity of style throughout the volume. Carolyn Phelan
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